Membrane switch mounting structure for vehicle

ABSTRACT

The membrane switch mounting structure for a vehicle includes a switch mounting space at a front side of a cushion cover facing the inner side of a horn cover, and a membrane switch and a supporting plate together inserted into the switch mounting space, thereby reducing the manufacturing cost and the number of steps in the manufacturing process and increasing productivity.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application claims priority to Korean Patent Application No.10-2003-0074652, filed on Oct. 24, 2003, which is incorporated fullyherein by reference.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a membrane switch mounting structurefor a vehicle that closes electrical contact points to operate a horn.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

A horn-operating switch is typically installed at a central portion of asteering wheel. The horn-operating switch is mounted at the centralportion of the steering wheel even in a vehicle equipped with a Driver'sAir Bag (DAB).

A thin plate-shaped membrane switch is generally used as thehorn-operating switch mounted at the central portion of the steeringwheel together with the DAB.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Embodiments of the present invention provide a membrane switch mountingstructure for a vehicle adapted to install a membrane switch by using acushion cover to enclose an air-bag cushion, thereby reducing the costand number of process steps in manufacturing and increasingproductivity.

In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the membrane switchmounting structure for a vehicle comprises a switch mounting spaceformed at the front side of a cushion cover disposed to face the innerside of a horn cover. A membrane switch is inserted into the switchmounting space.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

For a better understanding of the nature and objects of the presentinvention, reference should be made to the following detaileddescription with the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 illustrates a membrane mounting structure for a vehicle accordingto an embodiment of the present invention, and a cross-sectional view ofa horn cover and an air-bag cushion of a DAB module, both disposed at acentral portion of a steering wheel;

FIG. 2 is a detailed view of the principal part of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a top view of a membrane switch placed on a supporting plate;and

FIG. 4 is a top view of a second cushion.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

The preferred embodiment of the present invention will now be describedin detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.

As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, an air-bag cushion 9 constituting a DABmodule is covered by a cushion cover 10 disposed within a horn cover 1and placed at a central portion of a steering wheel.

A thin plate-shaped switch mounting space 13 a is formed at the frontside of the cushion cover 10 facing the inner side of the horn cover 1.A membrane switch 2 is inserted into the switch mounting space 13 a toclose the contact points to thereby operate the horn.

The cushion cover 10 is composed of a first cushion 11 enclosing theair-bag cushion 9, and a second cushion 13 integrally formed at thefront of the first cushion 11 while forming a certain space from thefirst cushion 11. The switch mounting space 13 a is formed between thefirst cushion 11 and second cushion 13. There are also a plurality ofribs protruding inward from the horn cover 1. The ribs 1 c contact thesecond cushion 13 when the horn cover 1 is pressed to operate the horn,and activates the membrane switch 2.

The membrane switch 2, in which its bottom side connects with asupporting plate 21 that is formed by plastic in a prescribed thickness,is inserted into the switch mounting space 13 a.

The supporting plate 21 supports the membrane switch 2 when the horn isactivated, thereby preventing destabilization of the membrane switch 2.

With reference to FIG. 3, the upper side of the supporting plate 21connects with the bottom side of the membrane switch 2, and is formedwith a plate protruder 21 a that upwardly protrudes out from the upperside of the supporting plate 21 and have the same frame with that of theouter shape of the membrane switch 2. The membrane switch 2 is placedinside the space covered by the plate protruder 21 a. Thus, the membraneswitch 2, where the outer frame part is supported by the plate protruder21 a, connects with the supporting plate 21.

As shown in FIGS. 1 and 4, there are perforations 23 on the firstcushion 11, second cushion 13, membrane switch 2, and supporting plate21. The air-bag cushion 9 inflates through the perforations 23.

As apparent from the foregoing, there is an advantage in the presentinvention in that the membrane switch is provided in a simple structurewithout recourse to coupling components (e.g., a rivet, screw or thelike) and coupling process (e.g., ultrasonic heat welding), therebyreducing the number of steps in the manufacturing process and increasingproductivity.

There is another advantage in that the membrane switch and supportingplate are installed at the front side of the cushion cover enclosing theair-bag cushion, thereby decreasing the manufacturing cost by reducingthe number of steps in the manufacturing process and increasingproductivity.

The foregoing description of the preferred embodiment of the presentinvention has been presented for the purpose of illustration anddescription. It is not intended to be exhaustive or to limit theinvention to the precise form disclosed, and modifications andvariations are possible in light of the above teachings or may beacquired from practice of the invention. It is intended that the scopeof the invention be defined by the claims appended hereto and theirequivalents.

1. A membrane switch mounting structure for a vehicle, comprising: aswitch mounting space formed at a front side of a cushion cover disposedto face an inner side of a horn cover; and a membrane switch insertedinto said switch mounting space.
 2. The structure as defined in claim 1,wherein said switch mounting space is formed between a first cushionenclosing an air-bag cushion and a second cushion integrally formed at afront side of said first cushion.
 3. The structure as defined in claim1, wherein said membrane switch connects with a supporting plate and isinstalled inside said switch mounting space.
 4. The structure as definedin claim 3, wherein said supporting plate is formed at one side with aplate protruder having a frame shape that is similar or identical tothat of said membrane switch, and an outer frame part of said membraneswitch is supported by said plate protruder that connects with saidsupporting plate.
 5. A steering wheel having a generally central portionconfigured to receive a horn cover, wherein said generally centralportion includes: an air-bag cushion that is covered by a cushion cover;a switch mounting space formed at a first side of said cushion coverthat faces an inner side of said horn cover; and a membrane switch thatis inserted into said switch mounting space.
 6. The steering wheel asdefined in claim 5, wherein said cushion cover further comprises a firstcushion and a second cushion, in which said first cushion encloses saidair-bag cushion and said second cushion is disposed above said firstcushion to form a gap between said first cushion for said switchmounting space to occupy.
 7. The steering wheel as defined in claim 6,wherein said second cushion is disposed between said horn cover and saidfirst cushion.
 8. The steering wheel as defined in claim 7, wherein saidswitch mounting space is located between said first cushion and saidsecond cushion.
 9. The steering wheel as defined in claim 5, whereinsaid membrane switch connects with a supporting plate that is installedin said switch mounting space.
 10. The steering wheel as defined inclaim 9, wherein said supporting plate further comprises a plurality ofplate protruding sides that form a bounded area that is similarly oridentically shaped as said membrane switch so that said membrane switchis disposed within said bounded area.